It could have happened to anyone?
by cheeselord
Summary: No one expected it and it followed the logic of accidents; if people knew or anticipated to accidents, well, they would not be accidents anymore...right? A oneshot RandelXAlice


**Why there is so few fanfics of this series...WHY?**

* * *

It could have happened to anyone...?

The "incident", as people in the section III started to call it, occurred on one normal day. No one expected it and it followed the logic of accidents; if people knew or anticipated to accidents, well, they would not be accidents a single slip of a word directed to the wrong person, a misplaced phrase, an unfortunate comment. So in this normal day warrant officer Oreldo was late to work, as many times before, and as many times before the resident noble of the "Pumpkin Scissors" was onto him, lecturing about the honor and the values a soldier of their rank and post should be upholding. The blonde don juan was only sheepishly trying to get out of the situation, looking for support to his friend Martis aka Matchs that did a perfect job in completely ignoring his pleas while directing him a sardonic look and working on papers. For the most part the rest of the division went on their usual chores: Hunks read the newspaper; Lili served the captain tea while Mercury waited patiently beside the corporal hunched on his desk and watching the scene unfold. Then come the question, the ordinary query that started the ordinary domino effect that ended in the out of ordinary event, the accident, the surprise.

-I don't understand- said Lili absentmindedly while pouring tea to Hunks –Why are you always so late?-

Hunks could practically smell the outcome as his eyes barely leaved the newspaper he was reading and assessed the situation, alas he didn't foresaw what truly was to come. A name was spoken, a woman's name that added to the strange marks in Oreldo neck and the dreamy face. Lieutenant Alice Malvin was not one to cherish such comments and a shining blade was out of its scabbard targeting the late worker. Hunks sighed, Lili face went red, Matchs only flinched and Corporal Randel Oland only looked the scene, still hunched behind his desk.

The pleas of help of Oreldo fell to deft ears, his best friend looking at him with cold eyes. Turning to the residing gentle beast of the office, Oreldo made a mad dash to hide behind the Corporal, the edge of a sword close to his ass.

-Corporal do something!- he said standing behind him and grabbing Randel with such force he made the tall man lose his balance and stand up the chair as Alice just mumbled one or two things about the conduct of her subordinate. That didn't stop Alice as she charged at Oreldo, the both dancing around Randel that only could see them circling his figure, lost at what to do.

The Corporal soon reacted (after his female superior almost gutted Oreldo) by grabbing Alice by her jacket and lifting her off the floor. This, of course, didn't end with the attempts on warrant officer life as he barely avoided a flying dagger that nailed itself on the desk of the unsuspecting Martis. Then the Corporal just held on Alice, apparently unperturbed by the fact he was lifting a human being with just one hand (a petit human being), until she vented her anger…and still a little more.

-Corporal- she said through clenched teeth, annoyed by the fact she was being held like a lost puppy- Put me down- Randel quickly did as told.

The moment her boots touched ground the Lieutenant cleaned inexistent dust off her clothes and Oreldo let out a sigh.

Then the unexpected.

A giant hand petted the blond head of Alice Malvin, of one of the thirteen noble houses, of one of the most righteous persons alive in the empire, as if she just was one of the Corporals stray cats.

-There, there lieutenant- Said the scarred man with a sweet smile.

-What are you doing Corporal?-

Instantly the face of the Corporal turned red and the hand was retired of its place on the head of the lieutenant.

-S-sorry lieutenant!-

They didn't suspected what would be the outcome of that confront, none of the third section of the army, the war relief "Pumpkin Scissors", could have known. They though (foolishly tough) that it would be the normal outcome: the oblivious corporal would say a wrong thing and he would earn a slap to his face or a good lecturing. Or both. But they could not prevent it from happening, how could they? So, as they saw the petit officer bury her index finger on the big man's chest again and again, nobody made a move to stop what was yet to come.

-That was a serious disrespect for a soldier, corporal, especially towards a higher ranking officer-

-Lieutenant- he said with an apologetic look, as if the mere sight of his face could excuse him.

-To pet an officer like some child or mutt-

-I´m sorry ma'am-

-Well- she said, her finger stopping the motion and laying buried in the chest of the corporal- I suppose anyone could make a mistake and it wasn't your falut- her eyes now looked at Oreldo, a glint of venom clearly dedicated to the man… and something else Oreldo could not place.

-You are excused Corporal, just don't do it again or I will see a proper punishment- nevertheless the smile directed to Randel did nothing to diminish the harshness of her words.

-Ma'am!- Randel Oland saluted, being content by getting off the hook.

Alice Malvin walked straight to her desk, forgetting completely about the corporal and Oreldo, the three parties in one piece and presumably with their dignity intact. The situation defused, it was a fluke… or at least it looked like it. The rest of the division returned to their work. It was only the brief calm before the disaster. Could it have been a different outcome?

-Corporal….- she stopped and looked back -Just tell me-

-Lieutenant?- he looked at her with reserved curiosity while reassuming his place behind his desk

-Why did you pet me?-

-Because you are cute, Lieutenant- he answered nonchalantly

Hunks laid down his newspaper, Martis let his glasses slid off his nose to the point they almost fell to the floor, Oreldo was close to break on laughing, Lili stopped petting Mercury and the dog just looked oblivious to the situation unfolding before his eyes.

Later that evening you could hear the story form Warrant Officer Oreldo of section three in the nearest bar (if you bought him a drink of course)

-I don't know what possessed the Blitz Lieutenant to ask that or what was going on the head of the big guy when he answered, maybe he hit his head one too many times but man, you should have seen her face!- he would say to the mob of men surrounding him and then take a long gulp out of his drink

- I thought Randel would have his ass handed to him but the Lieutenant just excused herself and ran out of the room. That stubborn woman just ESCAPED with her face all red and glowing as if she just discovered she was a woman and the corporal was wooing her. AS if she was a fourteen year old maiden! - He would sentence with a laugh in his voice to add character to the storytelling

-That, my friends, is one in a life time experience. But I feel sorry for the corporal, he looked like a lost puppy all day long… and I thought Matchs was hopeless-

That night Oreldo ended being completely wasted for free.


End file.
